Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have rearrested an 80-year-old ex-convict, Jeremiah Nkanta, for alleged involvement in illicit drug trafficking, barely three years after he completed a jail term for a similar offence.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said Nkanta was first arrested on December 14, 2022, prosecuted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for drug-related offences.
According to Babafemi, the octogenarian, described as a notorious drug dealer, returned to the illicit trade after his release. Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday tracked him to his residence in Mmanta–Abak village, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, where he was arrested with 5.7 kilogrammes of skunk, a strain of cannabis.
In another interdiction operation in Akwa Ibom State, NDLEA officers intercepted a 37-year-old businessman, Ani Onyebuchi, along the Oron–Ibaka Road in Oron Local Government Area. Onyebuchi was travelling with full-body mannequins reportedly meant for a clothing business in Cameroon.
A search of the mannequins, however, revealed they were stuffed with tramadol pills weighing 5.3 kilogrammes. The suspect allegedly confessed that he purchased the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra State, and concealed them inside two mannequins for trafficking to Cameroon after returning from the Christmas and New Year holidays.
In Oyo State, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives conducted raids across several locations, leading to the arrest of multiple suspects and seizure of assorted illicit drugs. Among those arrested was Remi Bamidele (45), also known as “Aluko the Mafia,” apprehended at Sasa, Ibadan, with 10.696 kilogrammes of Colorado, Scottish Loud, Ghana Loud, Canadian Loud and skunk — all cannabis variants. Two vehicles, a Toyota Venza and Toyota Yaris, were also recovered from him.
At Adegbayi area of Ibadan, Adeola Toheeb (27) was arrested with quantities of Colorado, Ghana Loud and skunk, while Habeeb Ali (29) was nabbed at Ring Road with 1.264 kilogrammes of Colorado, Scottish Loud and skunk. Cash exhibit of ₦1,307,100 was also recovered from Ali.
In Edo State, NDLEA officers arrested a dispatch rider, Osagbovo Edigin (30), alongside Ebimi Labo (28) and Akhimie Success (25), at Ihama/Airport Road, GRA Benin City, in connection with the seizure of 118 grammes of Canadian Loud and a wrap of Colorado.
Further arrests were recorded across other states. In Edo, Jimoh Agbonmhegbe (49) was arrested in Irrua with 17.552 kilogrammes of Colorado, Loud and skunk, while Evelyn Okoyomon (38) was apprehended in Ubiaja with 930 grammes of skunk.
In Niger State, 4,000 pills of tramadol 225mg were recovered from Nazifi Umar (22) in Dakwa town, Tafa Local Government Area. In Taraba State, Yusuf Usman (41) was arrested with 100 blocks of skunk weighing 47 kilogrammes in Lankaviri, Yorro Local Government Area.
Babafemi added that in Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives recovered 30,950 capsules of tramadol from the residence of Ugwoke Chibueze (40) in Bachure, Yola South Local Government Area, following his arrest at the Lamido Aliyu Mustapha International Airport, Yola.
He said NDLEA commands nationwide also sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the week.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Buba Marwa, praised the Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, Edo, Oyo and Niger commands for their operational successes, describing their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction as commendable.
By Michael Olugbode
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